Cooking Wars!
by destroyerdestroyerdestroyer
Summary: When Chung tears open a mysterious envelope, the Elgang is tossed into a fabulous cooking adventure! What they don't know is, there's a secret that wasn't in the letter. Who will win? I don't own the cover image or Elsword. All rights go to Killer Combo and KOG' -Had this idea months ago but never posted it-
1. The Letter

**Cooking Wars!**

* * *

Elsword, Aisha, Rena, Raven, Eve, Chung and Ara were in their normal dungeon lounge area. Just sipping mana potions casually.

"And then I said, oh no you _DI-INT_," Aisha went on about her conversation with her friend Speka over the phone.

Elsword yawned, uninterested. They were all up to their own things. Ara was sharpening her spear, Chung was studying his research notes, Eve was drinking tea in a civilized manner, Rena was fiddling with a leaf, Raven was practicing with his blade and Elsword was messing with self-buffs. Aisha, of course, was still going about her conversations.

It was pure silence. Eve was slightly irritated by this, and felt a need to break it. Sipping the last bit of her tea, she raised her head.

"We can't stay in Halls of Water forever, companions." Eve shrugged.

It was true though. 3 hours in the dungeon lounge isn't healthy.

"What?" Chung replied, finally looking up from his notes. "We've already saved Hamel and the El. What is there to do?"

Argument sprout, and everyone was yelling at each other around the dungeon lounge- including Ara yelling about not having her brother back yet and stuff. Personal problems varied.

Raven was just sitting on a ledge, not saying a word. It got so loud that the black haired man needed to speak.

"Eve is right. We are leaving and going back to our apartment. Now." Raven's serious tone frightened everyone. They walked out of the lounge, heads down.

Back near the apartment, something else happened. When they arrived, they heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, adventurers! You have (1) new message(s)!" The mailbox exclaimed.

"More mail?" Aisha rolled her eyes.

"Meh. Probably more taxes from Cobo." Elsword said glumly.

"You're right, for once. It probably is. I'll go collect our weekly fines, then..."

Aisha tiredly walked to the brown mailbox. She opened it and took out a white envelope. Tossing it to Chung, she said, annoyed, "You open it. I'm tired." Chung nodded, happily opening their weekly bills.

"I wonder how much enhancement stones you bought this week, Elsword." Ara said, bored. He was too exasperated to say anything back, simply replying with a snarl.

"H...Hey guys... This doesn't have any fines in here!" Chung's eyes lit up.

"Hm? What does it say!?" All of them peered at the letter.

"Get your face away from my hair!" Aisha yelled to Elsword.

"Get your hair away from my fa-" He paused when he saw a gleaming golden message from the envelope appear.

It said...

_DEAR ADVENTURERS._

_A message from your Ariel of Cobo. Black crow mercenary member no. 879 videotaped your daily lives, revealing each of your profound cooking abilities. We have found you adventurers exceptionally talented in the culinary arts, and would like you all to participate in the following events:_

**_ELRIOS' 30_****_th_****_ ANNUAL COOKING CHALLENGE, 2013_**

_The event will take place tomorrow at Hamel the Capital, within your usual marketplace._

_We hope for you to attend!_

_Sincerely, _

**_Ariel_**_  
COBO Services Lead_

Chung closed the envelope in disgust. "I knew I shouldn't have sold him the tape." He said regretfully.

"You WHAT?" Rena exclaimed.

"Now isn't the time, Rena! We have just been invited to Elrios' finest cooking competition!" Eve spoke, full of pride. "We should be honoured." She nodded.

"I don't know, guys. Do we really have the time?" Ara raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"We've saved Elrios already. We have all the time in the world." Raven replied. Ara quickly forgot about her brother, even, nodding to Raven.

"Saved or not, we're going!" Elsword yelled, punching the air.

"I think that's a smart decision from Elsword, for once." Aisha said, smiling slightly.

They began sharing recipes enthusiastically, completely naive to the reality of the competition.

No teams.


	2. Preparations

**Cooking Wars!**

* * *

This chapter is a little Chung-centric, but we'll get to the competition soon! Enjoy.

And since somebody asked for them, here are the classes:

**Rena - **Grand Archer

**Elsword - **Rune Slayer

**Aisha -** Dimension Witch

**Raven** **- **Veteran Commander**  
**

**Eve - **Code Empress

**Ara -** Little Hsien

**Chung - **Tactical Trooper

* * *

The members of the Elgang were hastily preparing for the cooking competition in Hamel the next day. Chung decided he'd ask everyone about their style of cooking, so they could combine their skills and create the best dish. The first place he'd visit, he decided, was the home of Ara Haan.

"Ara!" Chung yelled, running towards her in her Chinese style house at full speed.

"Hm?" The black haired girl turned her head from drooling at a window.

"Do you have any recipes from home you like to make?" Chung smiled excitedly, eyes to hers.

"Hm? I know how to cook dumplings..." Ara tapped her chin.

"Anything else?" Chung appeared to be furiously taking notes on a thin yellow pad.

"Nope!" Ara smiled. Chung's eyes became dark.

"...Hm?" He looked at his pen, uninterested now in what she had to say.

"S..sorry Chung! We didn't have many ingredients in Sander..." Ara's cheeks were pink.

"N...no, it's fine...I'm just...trying to figure out how you could contribute..."

"Eh?!" Her eyes were wide when Chung left with a quick 'Bye Ara!'. Poor Ara. It's not her fault that she can only cook dumplings...so she spent the whole day cooking chicken dumplings in shame.

Next, Chung visited Aisha in her intricate purple home with cute bats taped everywhere, and a pink stone stuck to the wall.

He knocked politely. Aisha quickly left the stove to open the door.

"Yes?" Her voice answered. Her food was burning and insane smoke was swirling around behind her.

"Uhm..." Chung covered his mouth with a cloth. "Do you have any recipes. Aisha? I think we can create the best dish tomorrow if we figure out each others cooking style." Chung happily explained to the purple haired girl.

"Not really." She replied, as Chung walked inside.

"I'm only good at throwing stuff in with magic... Pretty much only able to teleport food." She sighed, throwing a burnt cloth over her shoulder.

"Ah..." Chung took notes for Aisha. The only thing he wrote was 'CANT COOK' and 'USES CHEAP TRICKS'.

He quickly thanked her and escaped the poisonous fumes. Aisha turned back to her 'food' and sneezed.

After that, Chung decided to visit Raven in his classy yet underdesigned condo-apartment. Before he even knocked on the door, Raven swung it open. He seemed stressed.

"Hello." He said simply. Chung was struck by his powerful presence.

"H...hi, Raven! I was just going around gathering recipe ideas from everyone. That way, we can make the best dish!" He beamed. Raven sighed deeply.

"I only know jerky. All I ever had was jerky." Raven said, depressed.

"...eh? Jerky? Interesting..." Chung was quickly writing stuff on his paper.

Raven grunted. "As a mercenary, I didn't have time to learn how to cook. It was against the code, cooking on the job. Attracted enemies."

Chung paused. He looked at him peculiarly. "...what kind of jerky?"

Raven perked up. "Beef. Beef jerky."

"I see..." Chung tapped the yellow pad with his pen. "I'll get back to you!" He turned around and bolted.

Raven stood there, sadly watching Chung leave.

"They all...leave, eventually..." He said to himself, returning to his pot of jerky.

Chung went over to Rena next, who was happily tending her front-yard's garden.

"Hi, Rena!" Chung waved gleefully. He slowed down as he came closer, noticing an odd aura surrounding the humming elf.

"Oh, Chung. I was expecting you." Rena said. Chung froze.

"...oh?"

"_Mmhm_." She turned and smiled. "So you're gathering ideas? That's brilliant!"

"I...thanks." Chung answered oddly.

"You know," Rena continued, the dark aura coming back, "I cook pretty well."

"Your recipes will be the best contribution." Chung agreed, suddenly nervous.

"Oh!" Rena seemed surprised. The aura disappeared. "You think so? Because Elsword and Aisha-"

"They don't know how to cook!" Chung interjected helpfully. Rena beamed.

"Well, I was thinking something like one of my best salads! I've got lots of ideas for a new recipe..."

Chung tuned her out, thoughtfully writing "Lots of leaves. Berries. Natural stuff. Did she just say grass?" Nodding, he thanked Rena while she began talking about berry-flavoured salad dressings and made way to the next house.

Eve was rummaging for spare parts when she heart a disturbance outside her front door. Opening it, she felt a pleasant churning in her robotic gut when she saw a friend.

"Greetings, Chung. Nice day today. What brings you to my capsule?" She asked pleasantly. Chung sighed in relief.

"Good thing at least you're in your normal mood, Eve." He chuckled uneasily. Eve became slightly confused.

"I do not understand..."

Chung shook his head. "I was going around collecting recipes from everyone for the competition! I figured if we knew each there's cooking styles, we'd win for sure!"

Eve processed the information. She nodded.

"So, what do you like to cook?" Chung asked. Eve became startled.

"Well...to cook dishes I calculate the best outcome of ingredients." She said simply.

"What kind of dishes do you make?" Chung popped out his notepad and began writing.

"Well..." Eve gestured towards a machine compound. "I use household waste that you humans find no need for and recycle them in this Nasod machine. It converts your average trash into delicious meals, like so...Oberon!" Chung was at loss for words. He watched Oberon throw a garbage bag in the machine, bowing to Eve as she reached in and pulled out a large chocolate cake.

"Well...at least you win at presentation..." Chung tilted his green face, ripping out a page of his yellow notepad. Eve looked at Chung in confusion. It was silent for a moment.

He'd had enough.

"I've...visited almost everybody now but no one cooks anything normal! Can't a simple seafood artist get some respect?! How are we supposed to win this way?! I just need someone that can aid me in my cooking journey, that understands my kind of food! But no one can!" Chung broke out, tearing up as Eve patted his shoulder in comfort.

"I am unaware of the feelings you experience, but I do wish you and your seafood good luck." Eve nodded, dismissing Chung as he sadly travelled to the final house.

The one of which belonged to the redheaded chef, Elsword. Chung, still frustrated, set his hopes high.

He walked up to the door, knocking it, shoulders slumped.

"Come in!" Yelled the voice belonging to the swordsman.

Chung quietly opened the door as his pika ears fell down. "Alright, Elsword...tell me what you're making..." Chung suddenly didn't want to go into detail when he saw the burning fire over a black KITCHEN AID pot in the distance.

"Eh? What are you doing here anyways?" Elsword looked at him curiously.

"D...on't...ask..." The blonde replied.

"Okay...well I'm making smoked fish and pork right now...practising for the contest, you know. I'm usually lazy when it comes to food, but I have a feeling there's gonna be an ED reward to the winning team, so better give it my all, right?" He scratched his head nervously.

"Oh yeah, sure, whatever..." Chung threw his yellow notepad behind his head, not seeing any meaning to it any more.

"Oi! Did you check on everyone else too?" Elsword looked at him, fixing his apron.

"...Don't ask.." Chung repeated. Elsword shrugged and began cutting fruits with Testament. Chung snarled.

"Hey, what time is it?" Chung asked.

"12:29 AM..." Elsword returned, looking at Chung as his dark shadows began to show.

"Alright then. I think I should be going. Thanks, meh..." Chung glumly opened the door as Elsword grunted.

All except Chung stayed up practising for the contest that day.

Practice makes perfect, right?


	3. MATCH START!

**Cooking Wars!**

* * *

Ara, Eve, Raven, Rena, Elsword and Aisha all woke up to the morning calls. They actually needed to storm into Chung's room and wake him up, since the poor thing barely slept. They met each other outside their shared Hamel apartment in joy and excitement. The mailbox was loudly yelling at them for having a full inbox in the distance, but they ignored it.

"You guys ready?" Elsword said, bubbling with enthusiasm.

"Yeah!" They all agreed. Except Chung, he was still tired. Eve paused to tie a rope around her Nasod machine so she could drag it along the way.

"Hello chefs!" Ariel greeted at the entrance poiltely. The Elgang quickly responded with a hello.

"The competition is right this way!" Ariel cheered, leading them into the kitchen stadium.

"We're gonna be the best team!" Aisha said to Rena confidently.

"What?" Ariel overheard and froze. She turned to them, confused. "You didn't get the notification?" She raised her eyebrow.

"What notification...?" Raven said, leaning in, suddenly suspicious.

"The mailbox should've contained a message for you, telling you about the no teams rule!" Ariel stared at them, shocked. They all stopped and glared at Elsword for insisting they don't check the mail.

"N...no teams?" Ara sobbed. "This can't be! I thought...I..." Ara looked down sadly. Chung patted her shoulder.

"It's okay, Ara..." He put his head down as well. They all looked at each other with utmost distress before separating and moving to their individual stations. The audience had already filed in and everyone was squirming in there seats, cheering deafeningly loud.

"Hey! HEY!" A man was yelling at Eve from the distance.

"Hm? Is there a problem?" Eve finished dragging in the Nasod compound machine to her station and turned around to see Banthus.

"No machines allowed in the stadium that aren't ours! Get rid of it!" He screamed. Eve stifled a laugh.

"Do you know who I am? EVE, Queen of the Nasod, and I demand you let me use this machi- hey!" The man was now carrying the machine and broke its counterparts. Eve simply stared. The circuits around her eyes spasmed.

"Time to start the match." He said, turning back to the judges table. Fancy lights were activated and began to shine around the stadium. Eve finally realized the gravity of the situation, and started to panic.

"Hello, Chefs!" William Phoru boomed, slowly emerging from the ground on a pedestal.

The Phoru in a tux waved at the ladies in the audience, then returned to the match.

"Welcome to _Elrios' 30th Annual Cooking Challenge! _I, William Phoru, will be your host for the upcoming events." He patted his tie. Sparkles and hearts appeared all around his face. "You all, the one and infamous Elgang, have been selected as our seven competitors. I'm telling you, this will be one of our best competitions yet! Are you ready?!"

Elsword coughed. Ara stifled her sadness.

William Phoru laughed. "Of course you are! Now, you won't be expecting this, challengers, but how interesting would this competition be without any surprises?" He paused for dramatic effect.

"Please welcome...your _surprise competitors_!" He announced gleefully, waving his arms around. Seven other pedestals came up from the ground, surrounded by smoke affects and dramatic background music. A spotlight appeared as each name was called.

"Sullen Joaquin, the cunning!" Aisha nearly barfed.

"Shadow Master, the dramatic!" Chung tried to contain his hate.

"Ignis, the...Nasod!" Eve cheered.

"Ancient Phoru, the protector!" Rena didn't care. Lol.

"Crow Rider, the leader!" Raven felt embarrassed.

"Wally no. 8, the robot!" Elsword couldn't look.

"And, a...a giant hairpin!" Aka, a silver wannabe who Ara was irritated with.

"These are our challengers!" William yelled, as happy fangirl cries swarmed the audience. "And our judges- here they are now!"

The judges walked in. Chloe of Hope Bridge, Banthus from Tree of El, Contaminated Alterasia Spore and Ran from Halls Of Water, who Ara couldn't keep her eyes off of.

"Now for our mandatory ingredients!" William exclaimed. The Elgang was overwhelmed.

"Cauliflower!" Cauliflower rained down on the competitors.

"Chicken!" Giant chicken legs were thrown at the competitors.

"And last but not least..." Williams eyes narrowed as he read his cue card. "Smoked Phoru..._WAIT WHAT_?!" William screamed, falling off his pedestal. The audience snickered.

"Haha...anyways...you have 1 hour to cook the best dish!" William raised a red flag. "**MATCH START!"**

This was going to be an interesting showdown.


End file.
